Combined corn snapper, husker, and sifter.



1.1. LANGE & A. w. EVERS.

COMBINED CORN SNAPPER, HUSKER, AND SIFTER.

APPLICATION many. 9. ms.

Patented Jan. 21,1919.

4 SHEETS$HEET l.

Qwue-wl'ow-j FKW 1.1. LANGE & A. W. EVERS.

COMBINED CORN SNAPPER, HUSKER,AND SIFTER. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 19. HHB.

Patented J an. 21, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1.]. LANGE & A. W. EVERS.

CQ MBINED CORN SNAPPER, HUSKER, AND SIFTER. IAPPLICATION FILED MAR. 19. 19H}- Patented Jan. 21,1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

1.1. LANGE & A. W. EVERS. COMBlNED CORN SNAPPER, HUSKER, AND SIFTER.

APPUCATION FILED 'MAR. 9, 1918- 1,291,938. Patented Jan. 21,1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

40 roller supports, and

UNITED sTA'rns rarest UFFfCE.

JOSEPH J'. LAN GE, OF CELINA, AND ANDREW W. EVERS, OF ST. HENRY, OHIO.

COMBINED CORN SNAPPER, HUSKER, AND SIFTER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Josnrrr J. LANGE and ANDREW W. Evans, citizens of the United States, residing at Celina and St. Henry, respectively, in the county of Meroer and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Corn Snappers, Huskers, and Sifters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in combined corn snapping and husking machines, and has for one of its ob ects toimprove the construction and increase the efficiency and utility of devices of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character whereby the ears of corn are removedo-r snapped from the stalks, the earless stalks removed at one side of the machine, the husks removed from the ears, and the kernels of corn which may be shelled during the husking operation recovered. I

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, as hereinafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out in the claims.

The improved apparatus is preferably mounted upon a truck or wagon frame to enable'it to be moved from place to place, and likewise preferably arranged to be actuated by a suitable motor mounted upon the truck frame. I

In the drawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved apparatus from the discharge side. Fig. 2 is a plan view withbut the gathering or feed table, and with the snapping the guard fingers in transverse section.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation with the horizontal frame members and transmitting shafts in section on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4; is a plan view, enlarged, of the belalring for the upper ends of the husking ro s.

Fig. 5' is an elevation, enlarged, of the bearing shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 represents perspective views of the supporting members for one end of the upper snapping oll.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 19, 1918.

Patented Jan. 21, 1919;.

Serial No. 223,404.

Fig. 8 is a side view of'the bearing for the lower ends of the husking rolls. Fig. 9 represents end elevations of the husking rolls.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of a of the husking rolls.

1 Fig. 11 is an end view of one of the snapping rolls. I Fig. 12 is a side view of one of the snapping rolls.

Fig. 13 is a sectional detail illustrating the manner of supporting the lower snapping roll at one end. The supporting truck comprises a frame, indicated as a whole at 10, and carrying bearing wheels 11. Mounted upon the truck frame is a suitable operating motor repre sented conventionally at 12. J Rising from the platform 10 at its ends and at intermediate points are standards 13 suitably braced from the platform.

Longitudinally directed supporting mem bers 1l15 bear upon the standards 13 at the sides of the truck, the member ll being utilized to support a feed table 9 upon which portion of one the corn stalks are deposlted prior to the action of the snappingrolls.

Mounted for rotation upon the truck frame is a main driving shaft 16, being supported at oneend by a bearing bracket 17 and at the other end by a standard 18. The shaft 16 is driven from the motor 12 by suitable gears 19. The shaft 16 is provided with a suitable clutch device 21 adapted to be actuated by a lever 22 convenient to the hand of the operator, to connect and discon nect the motor from certain of the operating devices as hereafter explained. Mounted for rotation upon certain of the standards 13 is another shaft 23 connected to be driven from the main shaft 16 by gears 2425. Mounted for rotation on certain of the standards 13 is nother shaft 26. and mounted for rotaf tion upon certain of the standards 13 is another shaft 27, the shafts 2627 beingar ranged in parallel relation near the upper portion of the apparatus. The shaft 27 is arranged to be positively rotated by a chain 28 and chain wheels 29-3O from the shaft 23, while the shaft 26 is arranged to be actu ated from the shaft 23 by gears 31-32; The shafts 2627 support the snapping rolls 3334. The shaft 26 is provided with a sleeve coupling 35, while the shaft 27 is provided with a similar sleeve coupling 36,

nal members of the .truck of the outer the couplings permitting the necessary vertical adjustment Or yieldable movement of the snapping rolls, as hereafter explained.

Mounted upon-one of the main longitudiframe is a relatively long bearing frame 37 having a relatively long slot in which are supported bearing blocks 39 in spaced relation and maintained yieldably in separated position by means of a spring 40. Supported by bnackets4l from a contiguous pair of the standardsi'13 at the side of the frame opposite the bearing37, is another bearing member 42 having a longitudinally directed slot 43 in-whichare bearing blocks 44, yieldably separated by a spring 45. The

journals of one of the inner .husking rolls 46 are supported by the bearing blocks 39 and 44. I GihH lHgJOHS Y are mounted by their journals in the bearing apertures in the bracket devices 3.7 and 42,-the rollers 46-47 at :one .side of athe center co acting whil erthe other pair of husking rolls correspondingly .coact-at the othersideof the center.

.Adividing rib 48 is supported upon the bearing idevices37 and 42, and operates to guide theearsof corn to the husking rolls. Gather boards 49 are arranged to coact with the dividing rib to guide the ears to the rolls. 'One pair of the bushing rolls at one side of the centeris provided with gears 50 to '1;C111S 6 the rolls to be positively rotated toward :each other, while the husking rolls at :the =.opposite-side of the center are provided with similar gears 51, to cause them .tdoperate-toward each other. The journals husking rolls 47 are extended and provided respectively with beveled gears ,52 which engage with corresponding beveled-gears53 on the shaft 23. By this meansit will be obvious that when the shaft 93 is otated its motion will be transmitted to the husking rolls and operate the same.

Attached to the same frame member which ,carries the bracket 37 are smaller bracket-s 56 on which a shaft '57 is mounted for rotation. forms a part :ofthe improved apparatus and. comprises side members 58 members-J59. The .sidemembers 58 are provided respectively with brackets 60 mounted 101 :oscillation upon the shaft '57. By this -m-eans the elevator frame may be adjusted vertically, or caused to swing upon the shaft -57. The shaft 57 is extended at one send ;as shown in Fig. '2, and provided with a chain wheel '61 over which a chain 62";leads-to1a corresponding chain wheel 63 on zthermainshaft 16. By this means the motion-of the shaft 16 is communicated to the shaft;57. The shaft 57 is provided with a chain pulley 64 over which a chain 65 leads to a similar chain pulley 66 at the A suitable elevator device and bottom r 65 operates between the bottom members 59, and is armed with a plurality of carriers or blades 67 spaced at uniform distances, and operate to convey the husked ears to a suitable receptacle, not shown.

Connected to the longitudinally directed frame member 14 is a bar 68 having a bearing at one end extending in advance of the inner face of the member 14 and perforated at the other end externally of the outer face of the member 14. Another bar 7 0 is provided with a bearing pivotally coupled to the bearing of the member 68 by apivot pin 72. The bar 70 is likewise provided with another larger bearing 7 3 in which the shaft 26 is mounted for rotation. The bar 7 0 is provided with a pin 74 which extends through an aperture in the outer end of the bar 68, and surrounding the pin externally of the bar 68 is a spring 75, the pin 74 having a head 7 6 at its upper end .to bear upon the spring. By this means it will be .obvious that the spring 7 5 operates .to maintain the bars 68-71 in close relation, and yielda'bly support the upper snapping roll v33 at one end. The shaft 26 terminates a ,ping roll so that the latter rotates with the shaft.

Attached to'the member 14 at the opposite end of the upper snapping roller is a bracket 7 8 having an extension 79 similar tothe bar 68. The bracket 7 8 has a bearing through which a curved rod 8.0 is mounted for'rotation near one end while the opposite end constitutes a journal to extend for a distance into the adjacent end of the snapping roller 33 as indicated at 81. Connected to the terminal of the portion of the member :80 which extends through the bracket 7 8 is an arm 82, similar to the arm 71.. The armx82 carries a pin 83 similar to the pin 7 4 and extending through an aperture in the arm 79. Surrounding the pin 83 is a spring 84 similar to the spring '75 and held in position upon the pin by a laterally directed head 85. By this means the spring .84 op crates to yieldzfbly support the adjacent end of the roller 33, while at the same time permitting the latter to be rotated by the shaft 26. The upper roller 33 is thus yieldably held against normal pressure but will yield to abnormal pressure,'the sleeve coupling 35 permitting the limited vertical movement without interferingwvith the operation of the shaft26.

The feed table 9 is suitably supported upon the member 14 and is formed'with vertical side members at theedges to retainthe stalks when deposited'thereon. Supported upon certain of the vertical members 13 are bearing rails '86, the latter extending in advance of the members 13 at the feed sideof the device as shown in Fig. 3. The elevator portion of the device is maintained in proper inclined position by a bail device represented at 87, the ends of the bail device being supported by the members 86 as shown. Rising from the member 15 is a guard board 87 to protect the operator while feeding the stalks to the snapping rolls. Connected to the rails 86 and to the adjacent members 13 are hanger devices 88 arranged to support a suitable standing board 89 for the operator wlliiile feeding the stalks to the snapping ro s.

Mounted upon the rails 86 at the end opposite to the stand 89 are stub shafts 90 each carrying a chain pinion 91 and near the longitudinal frame member 15 are other stub shafts 92 carrying chain pinions 93. The shaft 23 is provided with chain pinions 94 in vertical alinement with the pinions 91 and 93, the sets of pinions receiving endless chains 95 having carrier fingers 96. The chains 95 are thus rotated from the shaft 23, and are so arranged that they operate to cause the fingers 96 to feed the stalks'to the snapping rolls. Attached to each rail 86 are guard devices 97 to support and guard the chains in their passage between the stub shafts 90 and 92. The stub shaft 92 is located slightly above the line of the stub shaft 90 so that the chains 95 curve downwardly as they leave the pinions 93 as shown in Fig. 3, and thus facilitate the feeding of the stalks to the snapping rolls. Extending between the rails 86 is a guard or support 98 attached to which is a yieldable supporting finger 99, the latter operating to support the intermediate portion of the stalks as they are carried toward the snapping rolls by the chains and preventing them from sagging downwardly toward the husking rolls.

It will be. noted that the corn stalks are fed to the snapping rollers sidewise or lengthwise of the snapping rollers, with the root ends and the tassel ends extending beyond the ends of the rollers and beneath the shaft 26 at one side and above the shaft 27' at the opposite side. The passage ofv the stalks is thus free and uninterrupted.

The husks of the corn must be relatively dry to enable the husks to be readily removed and this condition presupposes that the kernels of corn must be correspondingly dry. During the husking operation many of the kernels are necessarily torn loose from the cob by the action of the husking rollers and pass between the rollers with the de tached husks. The present apparatus includes means to recover these prematurely shelled kernels comprising a screen consisting of a supporting frame 100, a bottom 101 perforated at its highest end and imperforate in its lower portion, and a plurality of obliquely disposed slats 1 02. The frame 100 is suspended for vibration beneath the husking rolls by bail devices 103. Supported beneath the truck frame 10 is a shaft 104 having anintcrmediate crank or band 105.

'Pivoted at 106 to the frame 100 is a connect- -1ng rod 107, the latter coupled at one end to {shaft 104 will be communicated to the screen device, and the latter caused to be rapidly vibrated to cause any loose kernels of corn which may be shelled from the ears during the husking operation to be separated from the husks and deposited in a suitable receptacle at the lower end of the screen, while the husks pass over the foot end of the screen.

Attached to one end of the shaft 10% is a chain wheel 116 in alinement with the chain wheels 61 and 63, and the chain 62 is extended to engage the three chain wheels. By this means the chain 62 is utilized to operate the shaft 57 of the elevator device and the shaft 104 of the screen device.

The snapping rolls 3334 are constructed as shown in Figs. 11 and 12. Each snapping roll is formed with annular blank spaces 108 intermediate the ends and the remaining portions of the surface formed with alternating ribs 109 and hollow spaces 110, with the ribs at the ends of the roll externally of the blank spaces opposite the spaces 110 of the intermediate portions of the roll as shown more clearly in Fig. 12.

The construction of the husking rolls is illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10. The surface of each of the husking rolls is formed into alternating blank spaces 111 and ribs or corrugations 112 as shown more clearly in Fig. 9, which represents transverse sections of the husking rolls.

Combined guard and guide fingers 113 are connected to the receiving platform 9 and curved toward the discharge side in relatively close proximity to the upper snapping roi% 33, to guide the stalks to the snapping ro s.

Supported from the frame 10 at the discharge side is a platform 114; to receive the stalks as they are discharged from the snapping rolls. Connected to the rails 86, or other suitable portion of the device, are combined braces and guards 115 which operate to not only support the platform 114, but also to guard the mechanism, especially the screen device, from the denuded stalks that have had the ears snapped from them.

The clutch device 21 is double-sided or arranged to operate in both directions. The shafts 16 and 23 are connected by a chain 117 operating over chain wheels on the shafts. When the clutch device is coupled to the side next to the gears 2425, the shaft 23 will be run in one direction, and when the clutch device is coupled to the side next rolls,

frame above the bushing rolls and at theto the chain 117 the motion will be reversed. 'Ijhis may be required under certain conditions.

The clutch device also enables the elevator operating mechanism and the screen operating mechanism to be cut out when required.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a machine of the class described, a supporting frame, c'oacting snapping rolls disposed longitudinally on the frame at one side thereof, coacti ng husking rolls disposed transversely on the frame below the line of the snapping rolls, transverse movable carrier devices on the frame at the sides of the husking rolls and laterally be yond and extending-past the terminals of the snapping rolls, and a plurality of fingers secured at their upper ends to the frame above and in advance of the snapping rolls, said fingers depending to the snapping rolls and having their lower ends turned toward the bight between said rolls. 7

:2. In a machine of the class described, a supporting frame, coacting snapping rolls disposed longitudinally on the frame, coacting husking rolls disposed transversely on the frame below the line of the snapping transverse movable carriers on the sides thereof and laterally beyond the terminals of the snapping rolls, and a transverse resilient finger on the frame between the carrier devices in advance of the snapping rolls and having its free end extending upwardly to the bight of the snapping rolls.

Copies of this patent maybe obtained for five cents each, by addressing the ashingtoii, I), C.

supporting frame at the 3. In a machine of the class described, a

supporting frame, coacting snapping rolls mounted longitudinally on the frame atthe rear side of the same, carriers operating transversely of the frame to feed stalks, to

cured to and extending longitudinally of the and a platform secured on the front side of the frame below said guard.

4C. In a machine of the class described, co

acting snapping rolls having end and, interb front side thereof,

mediate series of longitudinal grooves, the

series of grooves being separated by annular smooth surfaces andthe grooves n each series being separated by longrtudinal smooth surfaces, the grooves in the CGIllJI'EI-ISQIIQS being in alinement with. the spaces between the grooves in the end series and theannu larand longitudinal smooth surfaces being flush and above the grooves.

5. In a machine of the class described, a

supporting frame, bracket devices connected to said frame in spaced relation, and each having a bearinga-t one end, coacting lever arms pivoted respectively to said bearings,

and a snapping roll pivotally connected respectively to said lever arms.

In testimony whereof. we affix our signatures.

JOSEPH J, LANGE; [n 5. ANDREW w. EVERS.

Commissioner of Bateiits, 

